“Ruo’er, looks like Li Jing returned yesterday.”, spoke Mrs. Rui.

“Yes, I met him yesterday.”

“Really? Was he happy to see you? How come you didn’t tell me of such an important thing? You are going to marry him soon, you should be considerate about such things.”

Hearing this Xia Ruo blushed like a rose, ‘Marry him?’. Those words from her aunt felt as sweet as nectar.

Placing a box wrapped in a beautiful imprinted cloth on the table, Mrs. Rui said, “When you finish eating, deliver this to Li Jing. He has come back after such a long time. We should send a gift, right? Ah, and take Niang Jun with you. He should too pay his respects. I would’ve sent your uncle, but he is busy with the court work.”

“Being a prime minister, is not easy, well. Let’s not disturb him, Niang Jun and I will deliver this. Uncle will see Jing ge ge at the feast tonight.”

Xia Ruo, increased her eating pace, then after wearing her outer robe she took the parcel in a hand and with the other she forced the less willing Niang Jun to go with her. “Look, you can’t even do this little work without me. And after considering how you behaved towards me yesterday…”, Niang Jun spoke in a complaining voice.

“Yes, yes your majesty. This Xia Ruo is just but a mere being. How dare she disrespect you? Please forgive her for her imprudence.”, Xia Ruo spoke in a comical voice. “Well, you could’ve said that earlier. I forgive you.”, Niang Jun behave as he really was a king. Soon, they reached in front of Li Jing’s house. “Wait, aren’t you going to call out for him first? Going to someone’s house so sneakily…”, Niang Jun clutched Xia Ruo’s robe.

“We need not follow such customs. You think too much. He is not a stranger, is he? We’ll surprise him!”, Xia Ruo continued on towards the hall.

“Why do I feel like, we are the ones who are going to be surprised.”, Niang Jun murmured. The hall was empty, so Xia Ruo took a peek in Li Jing’s room. What she saw in there, she could’ve never imagined it in her wildest fantasies. There was her beloved Li Jing, kissing another woman passionately. She hid herself and Niang Jun behind the wall and signalled Niang Jun to keep quiet.

“Ming Jiao, what’s the matter with you these days? Why did you suddenly thrusted me back?”, Li Jing’s voice could be clearly heard.

“What’s the matter with me? You are asking me that? Why? From the day I got to know you have a fiancé, I’ve been worried day and night about us. When you brought me from the heavenly realm, you told me that you’ll severe your ties from her. Yet, you didn’t tell her anything yesterday. And what if the supreme goddess announces your wedding tonight? What will I do? Where will I go with my wounded heart? Have you ever thought about our relationship seriously? And yet you dare ask me that what’s the matter with me?!”, Ming Jiao’s voice was fierce yet it felt like there was pain in her heart. And what to say about Xia Ruo? She had completely transformed into a statue. It felt like that she wasn’t even breathing. Just standing there stupefied, hearing the hurtful but true words from Ming Jiao.

Then a slight sobbing was heard, coming from the room. “Jiao’er, how can you say that? I am very considerate towards our relationship. When I had met you first, I had resolved in my mind that I’ll marry only you. You don’t know, but I’ve already resolved about this matter from the supreme goddess. Tonight, at the feast, I’ll announce my wish in front of everyone, and the goddess will surely consent. You need not worry about this.”, Li Jing tried to soothe the fretting Ming Jiao. By this conversation, the truth was no kore hidden to Xia Ruo. Niang Jun was unable to take all this, he snatched the parcel from Xia Ruo’s hand and entered the room to encounter a hugging couple.

“Looks like you are very loyal to your fiancé. Hugging other woman like this…”, Niang Jun spoke with a calm voice, yet anger was suppressed in it. Li Jing when turned around to look at Niang Jun, he was terrified. “How long have you been here? Have you heard everything??”, Li Jing’s face was becoming tensed. “I’ve heard everything, from the beginning to the end. Ah, and I thank the cosmic powers that my jie got to know your true face before it was too late.”, Niang Jun threw the parcel and went away with heavy stamping feet.

“What did he mean? Don’t tell me….”, Li Jing came out of the room hurriedly to encounter a broken Xia Ruo. There she was sitting, her back leaned on the wall, all quiet like a corpse. Her face had dried and she was lifeless. Li Jing lowered himself and touched her shoulder, it was stiff and cold. She slowly turned her face towards him. Her lips trembled as she spoke, “What a fate! The heavens play with us!” She wanted to speak a lot more, she wanted to cry like mad, she wanted to shout. But she didn’t do anything. Just got up, threw Li Jing’s hand away from her shoulder and went away. As she walked, she felt that all the world’s weight was on her delicate shoulders. She was so shocked that she didn’t even cry. Her feet trembled, and she fell on the ground. She saw the wide and eternal sky before her, it was beautiful yet meaningless to her. Her vision started fading, until it all became dark as her life had become.